Great volunteers can be recognized with provincial award

Nominations are open for the Stars of Alberta Volunteer Awards recognizing those making a lasting impact in their communities.

“Volunteers are the driving force behind the recreational, social and cultural programs that make our communities great. During these challenging times, it is more important than ever to recognize volunteers helping Albertans stay connected and feel supported. Please show your support for our extraordinary volunteers and their life-changing work by nominating them for a Stars of Alberta Volunteer Award,” said Leela Sharon Aheer, Minister of Culture, Multiculturalism and Status of Women.

The Stars of Alberta awards highlight and pay tribute to volunteers who give their time, energy and skills to make a difference in the lives of Albertans. Two awards are given in each of the following categories:

• Youth (up to 24 years of age)
• Adult
• Senior

In addition, the Breaking Barriers category recognizes exceptional volunteers who are working to create communities that are diverse and inclusive. Three awards are presented in this category to individuals who are addressing racism, advocating for LGBTQ2S+ inclusion and fighting gender discrimination in their communities.

The awards are part of the government’s commitment to recognize the contributions of Alberta’s volunteers, and is celebrated annually on or around International Volunteer Day on Dec. 5. Since the inception of the Stars of Alberta Volunteer Awards in 2000, 136 volunteers from across the province have been honoured.

Albertans are encouraged to submit nominations online. The deadline for nominations is Sept. 15.

Volunteers are the foundation for many community organizations providing recreational, social and cultural programs. Alberta has more than 26,400 non-profit organizations and, each year, more than 1.6 million Albertans provide more than 262 million volunteer hours to support the non-profit and voluntary sector at a value of $5.6 billion.